West Coast Fever

The Fever got out to a 19-15 lead at the end of the first quarter at the Qudos Bank Arena in New South Wales on Saturday.

An 18-16 second quarter win for the Swifts meant the deficit between the teams at half-time was just two, with the defending champions ahead 35-33.

After the third quarter, the Fever enjoyed a 51-46 lead and looked set to get a chance to defend their title.

The Swifts had other ideas, however, and produced a stunning fourth quarter comeback, outscoring the Fever 19-13 to secure the one-point win and a trip to the title decider.

Aiken-George led the way with 25 goals from 26 attempts for the Swifts while Fowler scored 55 goals from 56 attempts for the Fever.

Their opponents in the Grand Final will be the Adelaide Thunderbirds, home of Sunshine Girls Shamera Sterling and Latanya Wilson.

The Swifts will be looking for revenge after the Thunderbirds beat them 64-62 in the preliminary finals.

Players such as Jamaica’s Jhaniele Fowler, Romelda Aiken-George, Shamera Sterling, and Trinidad and Tobago’s Samantha Wallace, are among those who will be watching with bated breaths, after Australia Netball Players’ Association rejected the latest offer from Netball Australia and the eight Super Netball League clubs.

Officials from Netball Australia and the clubs expressed disappointment at the ANPA’s dismissal of the offer that they described as a “ground-breaking” collective player agreement.

However, the ANPA in its response said, “the players believe they’ve bent over backwards” in a bid to reach an agreement, and they are now appealing for mediation “to achieve meaningful and fair progress.”

Netball Australia on Monday stated that an offer was made to improve its investment by AUS $1.275 million – a 20 per cent increase across a three-year deal.

Netball Australia explained that offer was on top of “the earning potential of a profit-share partnership model”, and this was without any forecast material increase in the sport’s revenue in the short term, given the current broadcast deal runs until 2026.

Netball Australia added that it offered a base wage increase of nine per cent over three years and a maximum salary cap increase of three per cent over the same term, in addition to increased potential commercial earnings, extra playing and earning opportunities with the introduction of rookies, and a share in the profits generated by the Super Netball League for the first time.

“Throughout negotiations, Netball Australia and the clubs have made significant concessions in good faith to finalise the deal and build a strong partnership model with the ANPA and Super Netball players. Netball Australia and the ANPA met again [this past] Saturday, and we continue to offer to meet to finalise a deal,” a statement from Netball Australia said.

“Netball Australia and the clubs are not opposed to mediation, but we are concerned beginning the process at this late stage would extend this already lengthy process and continue to delay the stability and certainty all parties seek.

“Netball Australia and the eight clubs have simply reached their capacity to make further concessions to the ANPA and players without jeopardising the health of the league and its teams, their respective stakeholders, and the entire netball eco-system in Australia,” the statement continued.

Netball Australia pointed out that any further increase to player wages beyond the current offer would be irresponsible, because they would negatively impact funding for community and grassroots netball.

It reiterated that the three-year deal would provide much-needed stability for the players, clubs and the league and would ensure all parties could focus on working together collectively to grow the sport.

“We appeal to the ANPA to re-consider our revised three-year offer and present it to all Super Netball players, so they can have their say,” the statement ended.

But the players’ association argued that Netball Australia had rejected a real partnership with the players.

“We cannot in good conscience lock players into an unfair three-year deal, which does not reflect their value and contribution,” the players’ association statement asserted.

“Adding to the players’ concern is a lack of clarity around the finances underpinning the game, and uncertainty around the strategic direction for netball.”

The schedule for the 2024 Super Netball League season is yet to be released because of the collective player agreement dispute.

Sterling and compatriot Latanya Wilson are members of The Adelaide Thunderbirds, while Wallace and Aiken-George represents New South Wales Swifts. Fowler is a member of West Coast Fever.

Aiken’s 45 goals helped the Queensland Firebirds defeated league leaders Melbourne Vixens 64-58 in a hard-fought game at the Cairns Pop Up Arena on Sunday. Her teammate Tippa Dwan also scored 13 goals in the victory.

Aiken’s 45 goals came from just 51 attempts and saw the Firebirds lead 18-12 at the end of the first quarter. However, it was the defensive efforts of Tara Hinchliffe and Kim Jenner that led to the win.

The Vixens who were losing only their second game of the season rallied to win the second quarter 19-17 cutting the Firebirds lead at half time. The teams scored 13 goals each in the third but the Firebirds outscored Vixens 16-14 in the final stanza to hold on for their fifth win of the season.

At the same venue on Saturday, Samantha Wallace scored 25 goals and her teammate Helen Housby 22 as the New South Wales Swifts pulled off their eighth victory of the season, defeating Adelaide Thunderbirds 57-54 in a nail-biter.

The Swifts got off to a fast start and led 19-12 at the end of the first quarter. However, the Thunderbird rallied to take the second 16-12 and headed into the break trailing by just two goals.

The Thunderbird carried that momentum into the third quarter outscoring the Swifts 15-12 while taking a one-point lead into the final quarter.

However, the Swifts managed to battle back to outscore the Thunderbirds 15-11 and eke out a close victory.

Jhaniele Fowler was the high-scorer on the weekend with 62 goals as the West Coast Fever battled to a 71-66 victory over the Giants.

All 62 goals were crucial for the Fever who had to battle back from a three-goal deficit at half-time having lost the first quarter 15-17 and edged out 18-17 in the second as Jo Harten and Kiera Austin’s 24 goals apiece threatened to run away with the game.

However, the Fever took the lead in the third quarter, which they won 21-15 and then outscored their rivals 18-16 to close out the close encounter.

Despite the win, the Fever remains third in the standings with 34 points.

Fowler, who represents the West Coast Fever shared her views in the midst of a debate about whether Super Netball should have a cap on international players, who currently make up 17.5 per cent of all players in the tournament.

Fowler, a five-time league MVP, believes the competition should remain open.

“International players do come in and make the competition rounded and exciting. We do bring a little bit of different flavour, a bit of flair, but just more talents and more skill set,” Fowler said in a recent interview with the Sydney Morning Herald.

Though the Australia Football League (AFL), the Australia Football League Women’s (AFLW) and the A-Leagues don’t have any official caps on international players –with the caveat that salary caps can limit star imports –the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) limits imports to two per team, while the National Basketball League (NBL) is capped at three.

In a global context, the Women’s Super League soccer competition in England has a “home grown players” clause where in a squad of 25 players registered in their squad cap, there must be at least 15 registered home-grown players. A home-grown player is someone who, irrespective of their nationality, has been registered with a club affiliated to the Football Association for three seasons – or 36 months – before their 21st birthday.

In the UK-based Netball Superleague, teams are permitted up to two overseas players, but a team cannot have more than one overseas player in the attacking, midcourt or defensive positions on the court at once.

But, where Super Netball is concerned, Fowler is one of seven Jamaican players in the Australian league, including Thunderbirds defensive duo Shamera Sterling and Latanya Wilson and Collingwood’s Shimona Nelson.

For Fowler, moving to Australia has made her a more complete player, as she pointed to improvements to her craft under elite coaches and, by extension, playing against the best in the world each week. But in the same breath, she is of the view that it is also a two-way street, as the Jamaican players have made the game more exciting.

“They’re amazing, they’re so athletic,” said Fowler.

“Just week in, week out, when you see the Jamaican players go out there, the commentators, everyone, has to talk about them because they have made such an impact in this league in their teams,” she added.

Former Diamonds head coach, and a current coaching mentor, Lisa Alexander, didn’t think there should be a cap on international players, but her stance was different while she was Australia’s coach.

“As a national coach with a different purpose, I thought differently in the past and did call for restrictions to be two imports per team. If we eventually become the best in the world like the NBA [is to basketball], then we must have a draft and salary cap,” she said.

Alexander explained that, without a cap, the Super Netball competition would continue to provide a world-class competition for Australian athletes to compete in, week in, week out.

Netball legend and Hall of Famer Jill McIntosh praised the strength of the league but pushed for a cap on the number of international players allowed in the competition.

McIntosh, who captained Australia to their 1983 World Cup win, said that while imports have been good for the league, she is worried that without a limit, potential Diamonds players could be benched.

“We’re not in the Olympics, so our World Cup is our pinnacle,” McIntosh said. “I want to see the sport survive and thrive.”

Meanwhile, veteran netballer Ash Brazill said she would like to see more teams added to the competition to give more opportunities to local players, given the spots taken up by international players.

“I can’t wait to see extra teams added to our league because in the end there are only 80 spots, and we have 25 internationals. It’s pretty hard as Australians to get one of those 55 spots that are left. I think we definitely need some more teams for the Australian pool,” said Brazill.

However, Fowler reiterated international players also improve world netball by affording more opportunities for players in countries that don’t have avenues to develop or play.

“I reckon it should just stay open because, if you look, there are still teams in the league that do not really have an international player on their team yet. I reckon I can safely say that, and if anything, some teams just maybe have one international player,” Fowler argued.

She continued: “But I reckon, yeah, bring the international players in, also give them the experience because other countries don’t have the competition back home to develop players.

“So, it would be good for netball on a whole because then you will see that the competition is not just Australia, New Zealand, England or Jamaica in top four – other countries are putting out and delivering as well. And then netball is just going to be even more exciting. You just don’t want to see the same countries winning all the time.”

That international rivalry will be put on show at the upcoming World Cup in Cape Town in next month, but first Fowler has a Super Netball semi-final to win.

Despite West Coast having an inconsistent season with “ups and downs”, the 36-year-old Fowler said they are proud to have finished in third spot, meaning they take on Melbourne Vixens in a knockout grand final rematch in which the Fever will have home-court advantage.

“Definitely, it will be pretty good coming up against the Vixens. They’re going to be a really tough team to beat, but we know that we have what it takes to win,” Fowler declared.

“The green army, they’re really loud, and they also always help to get us over the line, so we’re going to make sure to capitalize on having the home court,” she ended.

They say offence wins games but defense wins championships and that proved to be the case at the Nissan Arena where the Vixens limited Fowler to just 55 shots as they eked out a narrow victory in what has been dubbed a classic encounter.

 The Jamaican goal shoot scored 54 shots but it was not enough to overcome the stifling defensive work of the Vixens, who have had success in stopping the league-leading shooter in their two previous wins this season.

Alice Teague-Neeld scored four of five attempts and shot 97 percent from the field against the Vixens for whom Mwai Kumwenda went 47 of 50 and Caitlin Thwaites, a perfect 10 from 10 as the champions scored 60 of their 63 attempts.

The Fever led 16-15 at the end of the first quarter, a lead they held at half-time as both teams scored 17 goals each in the second.

The third quarter proved to be pivotal as the Vixens limited the Fever to just 14 goals while scoring 18 to set up an intense final stanza.

Try as they might, however, the Fever were only able to close the gap to two points outscoring the Vixens 17-16 but it was not enough to secure the title as Alice Teague-Neeld missed a super shot that would have put the Fever in front with one minute to play.

Each team had 14 turnovers and three intercepts. The Vixens managed five rebounds to the Fever’s 4 in what was a very even contest. The Vixens had 56 penalties to the Fever’s 54.

The dominant goal shooter led the Suncorp Super League in net points with 1516.5 and goals with 872, respectively.

Her 872 goals put her more than 200 goals clear of anybody else, with Donnell Wallam of the Queensland Firebirds coming closest with 669.

Fowler was also selected as the Fever’s Players’ Player of the Year.

“It’s an amazing feeling. I’m more than honored and elated to have been selected for this prestigious medal,” Fowler said.

She noted that having her family there to witness it made it more special.

“It definitely means a lot more to have them to celebrate this momentous accomplishment with,” she said.

With this being her fifth time winning the medal, Fowler was asked if this one felt any different than the others.

“It’s right up there with the other ones,” she said.

“Every year that I win this I try to not take it for granted because there’s a lot of work that goes into this, not only on my behalf but what my teammates have to put in for us to get here and for me to get here is so incredible. Each one means the same,” Fowler added.

Fowler will now turn her attention to the Netball World Cup set to begin on July 28 in South Africa.

“The next couple of weeks looks like me going in with my Jamaican teammates. We’re going into camp for a few weeks and then heading to the World Cup and taking that head on,” Fowler added.

It was an epic clash at the USC Stadium between Caribbean shooters, Fowler, who scored 55 goals and Samantha Wallace, who sunk 34 from 35 attempts, as the Fever won 67-62 in what was described as one of the matches of the season.

NSW Swifts got off to a fast start winning the first quarter 17-15. They remained in in control of the match in the second quarter as super shots from Wallace and teammate Helen Housby (10 from 14) saw the Swifts outscore the Fever 19-14 to lead 36-29 at the interval.

The Fever made four changes at the half which seemed to spur the team to life. Through Fowler’s impeccable shooting they rallied to win the quarter 19-12 to tie the score at the end of the third.

Fowler continued her onslaught as the Fever snatched the lead and went on to win the intense counter by five.

Fever shot 94 per cent from the field in victory while the Swifts shooting fell to 88 per cent in the heartbreaking loss.

The medal, named after former Australian player Stacey Marinkovich, is awarded to the team’s Most Valuable Player for the season.

Fowler, who has also been named MVP of the league for the last five seasons, led the league in net points with 1516.5 and goals with 872, respectively.

Her 872 goals put her more than 200 goals clear of anybody else, with Donnell Wallam of the Queensland Firebirds coming closest with 669.

Fowler was also selected as the Fever’s Players’ Player of the Year.

The two teams couldn’t be separated in the first half and entered the bread tied at 22. The Fever then won the third period 13-12 before pulling away in the final quarter 14-7 for an overall 49-41 win.

Sasha Glasgow was player of the match, shooting 21/24 while Fowler shot 12/13.

Courtney Bruce and Kim Jenner were both stand outs in defence. Bruce had four gains while Jenner had two to her name.

Jamaicans Shamera Sterling and Latanya Wilson had two gains, each, for the Thunderbirds.

Elsewhere, Romelda Aiken-George shot 15/16 to help NSW Swifts defeat Giants Netball 44-38 to finish fifth.

The Team Girls Cup acts as a pre-season tournament ahead of the Suncorp Super Netball League in which the Fever are the defending Champions. In last year's final, Fowler scored 58 goals as the Fever beat the Melbourne Vixens 70-59. She was also named player of the year for the fifth year in a row.

In the match played at the Ken Rosewall Arena, the defending champions found themselves trailing early to an aggressive Swifts unit lead by Aiken-George’s 33 goals from 37 attempts. Helen Housby supported with 17 goals from 18.

Swifts led 18-15 at the end of the first quarter.

Fowler, meanwhile, who has been near perfect this season, led the comeback as the Fever outscored their opponents 20-17 in the second quarter as the teams went into the half-time break tied at 35-35.

Goal attack Sasha Glasgow scored seven from eight as the champions dominated the third quarter 24-16 before closing out the game 19-16 to take their fourth win from four games this season.

Fowler, the MVP for the last four seasons, has so far scored 220 goals this season, 39 more from fellow Jamaican Shimona Nelson who has scored 181 goals for the Colllingwood Magpies that beat Queensland Firebirds 69-61 on Saturday.

Nelson scored 61 from 66 attempts in the victory over the winless Firebirds.

Meanwhile, despite a league leading 417.5 Nissan Net Points from Shamera Sterling, the Adelaide Thunderbirds suffered their first loss of the season, going down 54-59 to GIANTS.

Fowler, the four-time Suncorp Super League Player of the Year, missed only two attempts as she and Alice Teague-Neeld, who scored six goals and two Suncorp Super Shots, did enough to secure the victory.

West Coast Fever trailed 8-10 after the first quarter but rallied to lead 20-19 at the half-time interval. They led 33-31 at the end of the third before pulling away 14-10 to seal the victory.

Jo Harten with 14 goals and Sophie Dwyer with 17 were the primary scorers for GIANTS team that committed 25 turnovers in the 40-minute encounter.

Fever play their other Pool B opponents, Collingwood and Adelaide, on Saturday before cross-over finals are held for all teams on Sunday.

Fowler converted 19 of her team’s first 20 goals in the first quarter as the Fever built a seven-point lead entering the second period.

The Lightning then had an improved showing in the second quarter, eventually losing 14-17 to enter halftime facing a 27-37 deficit.

The lead built by the Fever proved to be extremely important as the Lightning came out blazing in the second half winning the third and fourth quarters by six points, eventually coming up just four points shy of their opponents at the end of proceedings.

In total, Fowler converted 54 goals from 58 attempts to keep the defending champions third in the table on 32 points, two behind the Adelaide Thunderbirds and New South Wales Swifts, from 12 games.

The end of the first quarter saw the Fever enjoy a 17-12 lead before the Vixens won the second by one to reduce the halftime deficit to four, with the Fever leading 32-28.

The third quarter saw the Vixens chip into the lead a little more to set up a tense fourth quarter with the score now being 48-46 in favour of the Fever.

The teams fought to the end in the final stanza, with the Fever eventually coming out 62-61 winners.

Fowler, who has won the league’s player of the year award for the past five seasons, shot a perfect 55/55 to lead the Fever to a win to kick off the defence of their 2022 title.

Elsewhere, Shimona Nelson scored 53 goals from as many attempts to lead the Collingwood Magpies to a 71-63 win over the New South Wales Swifts, for whom Romelda Aiken-George scored 30 goals from 35 attempts.

It was the Fever’s first league title in 25 years after losing in the finals in 2018 and 2020.

Fowler, who was recently appointed captain of Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls, missed one shot and got support from finals MVP Sasha Glasgow, who shot a perfect four for four from the field but who also hit four of her nine super shots. She also had 26 goal assists.

The Fever never trailed at the intervals having led 18-14 at the end of the first quarter and took a six-point lead (35-29) into half-time.

By the end of the third quarter, the Fever extended the lead to nine points after winning the interval 19-16 before closing out the championship outscoring their opponents 16-14 in the final stanza.

Mwai Kemwenda was outstanding for the Vixens scoring 28 of her 29 attempts while Keira Austin missed only two of her 19 shots during the contest.

The victory, which gave Fowler her first hold on the Super League title, capped another outstanding season for the four-time Fever MVP. Heading into the final, Fowler led the league in scoring – 804 goals, goal attempts (833), offensive rebounds (46) and Nissan Net Points (1438).

It was Fowler’s 55^th goal of the match from just 56 attempts that spurred the Fever from an eight-point halftime deficit to their fifth consecutive victory this season. In doing so, they handed the Giants their first defeat.

Fowler got support from Sasha Glasgow, who scored five goals as well as three super-shot goals that helped keep the Fever close as the Giants closed the half leading 37-29.

Jo Harten had 19 goals and nine super-shot goals for the Giants, which opened strong and led 17-13 at the end of the first quarter. They stretched the lead by winning the second quarter 20-16.

Sophie Dwyer was the Giants’ leading scorer with 26 goals and also scored a super-shot that helped the Giants maintain a lead.

However, the Fever came to life in the second half closing the gap to just three points by the end of the third quarter that they took 18-13.

The match swung in their favour at the death when Fowler sunk the winning basket with seconds on the clock to outscore the Giants 19-15 in the quarter and pull off a thrilling victory.

The Fever’s shooters missed just once with Sasha Glasgow scoring five goals from her six attempts and hit crucial super shots in the thrilling encounter that ended with the defending champions going 2-0 in their first two games of the season. They won both games by one goal.

Reigning MVP Fowler scored 59 goals from as many attempts and has now scored 167 straight goals without a miss in the league. Her last miss came during the first quarter of last season’s final.

The GIANTS welcomed back Maddie Hay and Jo Harten into their line-up and they proved to be exactly what their team needed. Still, the Fever led 21-20 at the end of the first quarter.

On the back of Fowler’s accurate shooting, the Fever opened up a lead, which extended to as wide as 10 goals but were eventually reeled in by the GIANTS, who were eventually outscored 19-17 in the second quarter to lead by three at the half.

Harten scored 22 goals from 23 attempts and Sophie Dwyer 21 from 24 as GIANTS looked to rally but were forced to depend heavily on super shots to keep them close to the champions who outscored them 23-15 in the third quarter.

However, the GIANTS did rally with Harten and Dwyer shooting the lights out to outscore The Fever 21-11 in the final quarter but the lead proved too much to overcome.

Over at the Nissan Arena, Kadie-Ann Dehaney’s Sunshine Coast Lightning defeated Queensland Firebirds 65-55. Meanwhile, a power outage at the SA Netball Stadium resulted in a 25-25 tie between the Adelaide Thunderbirds and the New South Wales Swifts.

Romelda Aiken-George had scored 15 goals from 19 attempts when the game was called off.

Fowler-Nembhard, the highest-rated player on the court, was exceptional, scoring 60 of her 61 attempts and keeping her cool in the dying moments to secure the victory. "My team came out here with one goal in mind and that was to fight really hard. Super proud of how we played in defence through to attack,” she said. “We want a top-two finish because we’ve been fighting so hard throughout the season. It would mean a lot for us. That’s what we’re gunning for.”

The Fever were impressive in their efficiency, making 74 shots from 76 feeds. Alice Teague-Neeld was outstanding with 25 goal assists and 29 feeds, combining strongly with centre Jess Anstiss, whose defensive efforts were crucial. Wing defence Sunday Aryang also stood out with a match-high three intercepts, matching the total intercepts of the entire Vixens side.

Despite several late super shot attempts by the Vixens, the Fever's solid defence, particularly from Fran Williams and Kadie-Ann Dehaney, proved too much. The Vixens' shooting pair, Sophie Garbin and Kiera Austin, struggled under the pressure, committing five turnovers each, leading to a second straight defeat for the Vixens against top contenders.

Meanwhile, the Adelaide Thunderbirds secured a decisive 60-48 victory over the NSW Swifts in Sydney, propelling them to the top of the Super Netball ladder. The Swifts, who have now lost seven consecutive matches, put up a strong fight but could not overcome the Thunderbirds' relentless defence.

Shamera Sterling-Humphrey, named MVP, was a defensive powerhouse, blocking multiple attempts and restricting the Swifts to just 62 per cent shooting accuracy early on. Despite some strong individual performances, including Romelda Aiken-George’s 43/46 scoring, the Swifts could not match the Thunderbirds' intensity.

Looking ahead, the final round of the regular season promises high stakes as teams jostle for the top two spots, which guarantees a crucial finals double chance. The Vixens will face the Queensland Firebirds in Brisbane, while the Fever will host the Melbourne Mavericks. All eyes will then turn to the Adelaide Thunderbirds, who will take on the Sunshine Coast Lightning at home, to determine the final ladder positions.

Despite the Lightning winning time in possession, the Fever's exceptional shooting accuracy (97%) and success with Super Shots (5/9) propelled them to victory in front of an enthusiastic away crowd.

Fowler-Nembhard stood out as the player of the match, amassing an impressive 119.5 Nissan Net Points and shooting at an astounding 98% (53/54) during regular match time.

Shanice Beckford was also instrumental in the win with 13 goal assists and 17 feeds.

The Fever have now reclaimed their position at the top of the table and will take on the Adelaide Thunderbirds next on Saturday June 8.

Elsewhere, goal defence Jodi-Ann Ward's 33.5 Nissan Net Points were not enough to prevent her GIANTS Netball outfit from being defeated 74-60 by the Melbourne Vixens at John Cain Arena.

The Vixens shot accurately, 62/67 for 90% to be exact, while also having the edge in time of possession, intercepts and turnovers.

Goal shooter Sophie Garbin was the star of the day for the Vixens with 119.5 Nissan Net Points after producing 48 goals from 51 attempts.

The Vixens, who handed the Fever their first loss last week, are second in the table with just one loss in eight games, same as the Fever.

Trinidad and Tobago's Samantha Wallace led the charge for the Swifts scoring 17 goals for the losers.

From the first whistle, it was evident that this match would be nothing short of intense. The Swifts and the Fever traded goals relentlessly, each determined to gain an early advantage. But it was the towering presence of Jamaica's own Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard that truly shone in the opening quarter.

As the game progressed into the second quarter, the Fever began to assert their dominance. Led by their captain, Jess Anstiss, and the dynamic duo of Fowler-Nembhard and newcomer Olivia Wilkinson, the Fever surged ahead, much to the delight of their supporters. Despite the Swifts' best efforts to narrow the gap, the Fever maintained their momentum, heading into halftime with a commanding lead of 27-21.

However, the Swifts were not about to go down without a fight. With determination etched on their faces, they launched a fierce comeback in the third quarter, closing the deficit with a flurry of super shots. But the Fever defense, anchored by the likes of Fran Williams and Kadie-Ann Dehaney, stood firm, refusing to buckle under pressure. Meanwhile, Shanice Beckford provided a taste of her lightning-fast reflexes, expertly maneuvering the ball to her teammates and contributing two crucial goals from two attempts.

As the final quarter unfolded, the tension reached its peak. With the score-line neck and neck, every possession became crucial. But it was the Fever who held their nerve when it mattered most. With Alice Teague-Neale orchestrating the midfield and Sunday Aryang showcasing her unwavering determination, the Fever managed to fend off the Swifts' relentless onslaught. And when the final buzzer sounded, it was the Fever who emerged victorious, securing a hard-fought win.

The Fever established their dominance from the outset, racing to a commanding 26-16 lead by the end of the first quarter. Despite the absence of Kelsey Browne, the team demonstrated versatility with new combinations on court. Captain Jess Anstiss took on the centre position, and Sunday Aryang made her season debut in Wing Defence.

The second quarter saw the Fever extend their lead to 49-28 at halftime, with standout performances from Fran Williams in defense, securing crucial deflections and rebounds. Fowler-Nembhard and Shanice Beckford continued to shine in the shooting circle, further bolstering the Fever's advantage. All together, the Fever shot with 95 per cent accuracy from the field.

Fever's defensive prowess was on full display in the third quarter, with newcomers Olivia Williamson and Ruth Aryang making significant impacts. Williamson, making her start, scored nine goals, including three super shots, while Ruth Aryang showcased her defensive skills with key rebounds and intercepts.

As the game progressed into the final quarter, the Fever maintained their intensity, closing out the match with a decisive victory. The combination of Williamson and Beckford in the shooting circle proved formidable, with Williamson contributing 15 goals and Beckford adding 8 goals to the Fever's impressive final score of 94 points.

Meanwhile, the Queensland Firebirds were led by Donnell Wallam's strong performance, scoring 37 goals in the match.

Alice Teague-Neeld played a crucial role throughout the match, tallying an impressive 45 feeds and 33 goal assists, while also showcasing strong defensive capabilities in the fourth quarter.

With this victory, the West Coast Fever remain undefeated in the Suncorp Super Netball League, securing their fifth win of the season. The team will now shift their focus to their upcoming home game against the Thunderbirds at RAC Arena on Saturday, May 18.